The hunter has been admitted to hospital to be treated for shock after the Saturday evening shooting of the cyclist.

A 34-year old British man has been shot dead by a hunter while cycling in the French Alps in what appears to be an accident, police said.

The victim, a restaurateur living in the nearby Haute-Savoie region, was killed by a bullet while cycling down a path along woods.

A 22-year-old man taking part in a group hunt is believed to have shot the bullet, police said on Sunday.

The hunter was admitted to hospital for shock after the Saturday evening shooting and could not be taken into custody while he is investigated on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter, Thonon-Les-Bains prosecutor Philippe Toccanier said.

Toccanier told The Associated Press news agency that the victim, who is from Wales but lived in France, was cycling down a mountain at around 6pm when he passed near a group of about 10 game hunters.

Toccanier said the cyclist certainly "couldn't be confused with game, as he had a coloured helmet and a coloured mountain bike".

Britain's Foreign Office says it's "in contact with the local authorities" and providing assistance to the victim's family.